THE HOT CORNER: Boosting the minors a major step

by Jim Allen (Jan 22, 2009)

Once just another island in the Japanese archipelago of minor league
gulags, Yomiuri's Eastern League farm club has finally been exposed to
its own Gigantic version of Glasnost.

It used to be that unless a Giants prospect had been earmarked for a
future on the Central League squad, it didn't matter what he did in the
EL. There was nothing unusual about this situation. The Giants were no
worse than most of the other 11 teams and a good sight better than
some, most noticeably the Yokohama BayStars.

Those days, however, are over at Giants Stadium, where all of
Yomiuri's minor leaguers now have a legitimate shot at making the CL
team roster.

The change has occurred on two levels. Manager Tatsunori Hara
started it by creating top-level playing opportunities for unheralded
minor leaguers. Over the last 2-1/2 years, the Giants front office has
joined the fight by pushing for an expanded minor league calendar.

Two years ago, 30 games were created to help fill gaps that occur in
the schedule of a seven-team league. These were played between the idle
club and a pickup squad--a "Futures" team--of players made available
from the other six teams. It was a small start and six games were
washed out, but it was a step in the right direction.

Called "challenge" matches, the games continued in 2008 and will be
expanded to 43 this season. The EL's regular season schedule will also
get a boost, going from 96 games to 108. If that isn't enough, the
Giants and the Chiba Lotte Marines will field a joint squad to play
about 25 games this season against corporate league teams. As a result
of these changes, some Lotte or Yomiuri players could easily get 125
games this year.

Some might ask what's the big deal, since so few people go to minor
league games or pay much attention to them. The answer is talent.
Japan's talent growth is retarded by a want of opportunities: the small
number of professional jobs and the scarcity of games for those who do
find work.

Increasing the scope of minor league ball has two advantages. The
first and most obvious is that it gives individuals more challenges and
learning opportunities.

It didn't use to matter when Japan's baseball market was closed and
pro ball had a nearly captive audience. But with drastic changes in the
economy, increased competition from other sports and with major league
teams grabbing mature stars and competing for fans' attention, the
absolute quality of the game matters more than ever.

To thrive, teams need a different approach. And while Yomiuri clings
to Nippon Professional Baseball's antiquated setup like a life
preserver, the Giants front office has been adjusting. Instead of
focusing exclusively on players who earned outstanding reputations for
other teams and in amateur ball, the Giants are now alert to the
possibility of growing their own.

While Hara has treated his minor leaguers as an essential element to
success since starting his first stint as skipper in 2002, the
difference is that the front office now gets it. The evidence is in the
club's push for expanded minor league schedules.

"Starting from next season, we'll play more games than anyone," team
representative Hidetoshi Kiyotake said in December. "Within a few years
that gap will be noticeable."

Kiyotake sees a new standard for talent development, but the other
advantage of minor expansion is in increased opportunities to
re-evaluate talent.

Scouts, coaches and organizations often misjudge player potential.
If anyone thought lefty Tetsuya Yamaguchi was a prospect, he would have
been drafted before the Giants could sign him to a developmental
contract. All 12 teams at one point missed the boat on the 2008 CL
rookie of the year, now established as a solid middle reliever.

Increased playing time will enable more overlooked players to prove they belong.

For the Giants, who have all but ignored their second-tier draft
picks over the past 15 years, the new focus on the minors is an
exciting change.

If they pursue this path, Giants Stadium will no longer be the end
of the road for minor league exiles, but the starting point for major
excellence.